(Paris) Iranian justice announced Monday three new death sentences, 48 hours after the execution of two demonstrators, provoking a new wave of international indignation.
The three convicted protesters, like the two men executed on Saturday, were arrested as part of the protest movement sparked in Iran by the death of Mahsa Amini, 22, detained for violating the Islamic Republic’s strict dress code.
Iranian authorities generally refer to these protests as “riots” and claim that they are encouraged by countries and organizations hostile to Iran. They also claim that hundreds of people – including members of the security forces – have been killed and say they have arrested thousands of protesters.
According to Mizan Online, the judiciary agency, Saleh Mirhashemi, Majid Kazemi and Saïd Yaghoubi, accused of being involved in the death of three members of the security forces during demonstrations in the central province of Isfahan on November 16 2022, were sentenced to death at first instance.
They were found guilty of “moharebeh (war against God in Persian),” the agency said.
In the same trial, two other people were sentenced to prison terms. Among them, soccer player Amir Nasr-Azadani, 26, who plays for a local club, was sentenced to a combined 26 years in prison. But according to the law, he should serve the longest of the sentences which is 16 years.
All of the convictions announced on Monday can be appealed to the Supreme Court, Mizan Online added.
International convictions
On Saturday, Iran announced the execution of two men convicted of killing a paramilitary during the protests.
German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock announced on Monday that she had summoned the Iranian ambassador to Berlin “again” to protest against these executions, which “will not remain without consequences”.
The Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs also summoned the Iranian ambassador to Oslo, saying it “strongly condemns” these acts.
Denmark, Belgium and the Netherlands had also announced that they would summon Iranian ambassadors in response to the death by hanging of the two men, aged 22 and 39 according to NGOs. A wave of indignant reactions also followed.
PHOTO IRINN VIA AGENCY FRANCE-PRESSE
Mohammad Mahdi Karami and Seyyed Mohammad Hosseini
Pope Francis has called for an end to capital punishment worldwide, including in Iran.
“The death penalty cannot be used for so-called state justice, because it does not constitute a deterrent or bring justice to the victims, but only fuels the thirst for revenge”, he said. said.
” Treason ”
The new death sentences bring to 17 the number of people sentenced to death in connection with the protest in Iran, according to a count compiled by AFP from official announcements.
Among them, four were executed and two had their sentences upheld by the Supreme Court. The others await new trials or may appeal.
In Paris, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs ruled that “death sentences and executions […]which are added to the many other serious and unacceptable violations of fundamental rights and freedoms committed by the Iranian authorities, cannot take the place of a response to the legitimate aspirations for freedom of the Iranian people”.
According to Amnesty International, Iran is the country that executes the most people sentenced to death outside of China.
For Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, “responsible institutions treat treason seriously and fairly”.
There are “undoubtedly economic problems” in the country, “but can these problems be solved by burning garbage cans and causing riots in the streets? “, he said, quoted by his site.
“Without a doubt, these actions are treason,” he said.
The demonstrators are brandishing the main slogan “Woman, life, freedom” as well as other anti-regime slogans.